Ysleta Independent School District elections (2015)
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Three seats on the Ysleta Independent School District Board of Trustees were up for general election on May 9, 2015. The seats from Districts 2, 4 and 6 were on the ballot.[1]
Incumbents Connie Woodruff, Deby Lewis and Martha "Marty" Y. Reyes representing Districts 2, 4 and 6, respectively, were up for re-election.[1] Woodruff and Lewis faced one challenger each. Woodruff faced Mary First Perales for the District 2 seat, and Lewis ran against Mike Rosales in District 4. Reyes did not file to run for re-election, leaving the District 6 seat open to a newcomer. Two candidates, Luis H. Sarellano and Sotero G. Ramirez III, ran for the open spot. A third candidate, Javier Carlos Camacho, originally filed to run for the District 6 seat, but he withdrew from the race.[2] Woodruff, Rosales and Ramirez won the three seats.
Voters cast ballots for more than board members in the election on May 9, 2015. They were also asked to pass a $451.5 million bond that sought to repair existing district buildings and build new ones.[3] One project included in the bond was a girls-only academy focused on STEM education.[4] The bond effort narrowly failed after approximately 51 percent of voters rejected the measure.[5]
About the district
Ysleta Independent School District is located in El Paso County, Texas. The county seat is El Paso. El Paso County was home to an estimated 827,718 residents in 2013, according to the United States Census Bureau.[6] During the 2011-2012 school year, the Ysleta Independent School District was the 23rd-largest school district in Texas, serving 64,214 students.[7]
Demographics
El Paso County underperformed in comparison to the rest of Texas in terms of higher education achievement in 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 20.7 percent of county residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 26.7 percent for the state as a whole. The median household income in El Paso County was $40,157 , compared to $51,900 statewide. The poverty rate was 23.3 percent, compared to 17.6 percent for the entire state.[6]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Voter and candidate information
The Ysleta Board of Trustees consists of seven members elected by geographic district to four-year terms. Members are elected on a staggered basis every May of odd-numbered years.[1] There is no primary election, and a general election was held on May 9, 2015. The District 2, 4 and 6 seats were on the ballot.[2]
In order to run for school board, candidates must be at least 18 years old, registered voters and residents of the district for at least six months prior to the election. To get on the ballot, school board candidates had to submit paperwork with the school district secretary by February 27, 2015.[9]
In order to vote in this election, residents of the district had to register with their county elections office by April 9, 2015. Early in-person voting began April 27, 2015, and ended May 5, 2015. Voters could vote at the county elections office on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during that time. Texas requires voter identification. At polling places, every voter must present one of the following: a Texas driver's license, a Texas Election Identification Certificate, a Texas personal identification card, a Texas concealed handgun license, a United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph, a United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph or a United States passport.[10][11]
Elections
2015
Candidates
District 2
Connie Woodruff 
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Mary First Perales | ||
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District 4
| Deby Lewis | Mike Rosales
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District 6
| Luis H. Sarellano | Sotero G. Ramirez III
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Javier Carlos Camacho originally filed to run for this seat, but he withdrew from the race. His name did not appear on the ballot.[2]
District map
Election results
District 2
| Ysleta Independent School District, District 2 General Election, 3-year term, 2015 |
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| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Connie Woodruff Incumbent |
51.8% | 822 | |
| Nonpartisan | Mary First Perales | 48.2% | 764 | |
| Total Votes | 1,586 | |||
| Source: El Paso County Elections, "Final Election Results," accessed May 26, 2015 | ||||
District 4
| Ysleta Independent School District, District 4 General Election, 3-year term, 2015 |
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| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Mike Rosales |
57.9% | 1,617 | |
| Nonpartisan | Deby Lewis Incumbent | 42.1% | 1,175 | |
| Total Votes | 2,792 | |||
| Source: El Paso County Elections, "Final Election Results," accessed May 26, 2015 | ||||
District 6
| Ysleta Independent School District, District 6 General Election, 3-year term, 2015 |
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| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Sotero G. Ramirez III |
65.5% | 664 | |
| Nonpartisan | Luis H. Sarellano | 34.5% | 349 | |
| Total Votes | 1,013 | |||
| Source: El Paso County Elections, "Final Election Results," accessed May 26, 2015 | ||||
Endorsements
The Ysleta Teachers Association endorsed District 2 incumbent Connie Woodruff, District 4 challenger Mike Rosales and District 6 challenger Sotero G. Ramirez III.[12]
Campaign finance
Texas school board candidates and officeholders must file semiannual reports, which were due on January 15, 2015, and July 15, 2015. In addition, candidates in contested elections were required to file 30-day and 8-day pre-election reports, unless the candidate chose modified reporting.[9]
Candidates in contested elections who did not intend to exceed $500 in contributions or expenditures, excepting filing fees, were eligible for modified reporting. If they exceeded the threshold before the 30th day prior to the election, candidates were required to submit the 30- and 8-day reports. If they exceeded the threshold after the 30th day prior to the election, they were required to file a report within 48 hours of exceeding the threshold and participate in regular reporting for the rest of the election cycle.[13]
Reports
Candidates received a total of $20,662.82 and spent a total of $13,100.61 in the election, according to the Ysleta Independent School District.[14]
District 2
The candidates in District 2 raised a total of $1,366.05 in contributions and spent a total of $648.27 in expenditures.[14]
| Candidate | Existing balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connie Woodruff | $73.27 | $645.00 | $18.58 | $699.69 |
| Mary First Perales | $0.00 | $721.05 | $629.69 | $91.36 |
District 4
The candidates in District 4 raised a total of $12,215.00 in contributions and spent a total of $8,141.49 in expenditures.[14]
| Candidate | Existing balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deby Lewis | $0.00 | $10,700.00 | $4,768.46 | $5,931.54 |
| Mike Rosales | $0.00 | $1,515.00 | $3,373.03 | ($1,858.03) |
District 6
The candidates in District 6 raised a total of $7,081.77 in contributions and spent a total of $4,310.85 in expenditures.[14]
| Candidate | Existing balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luis H. Sarellano | $0.00 | $0.00 | $445.79 | ($445.79) |
| Sotero G. Ramirez III | $0.00 | $7,081.77 | $3,865.06 | $3,216.71 |
Past elections
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2013District 1
District 2
District 5
District 7
2011District 4
District 7
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What was at stake?
2015
Issues in the election
Bond proposition
In addition to choosing new school board members, voters in the 2015 election were asked to pass a $451.5 million bond proposition for the Ysleta Independent School District, but it was defeated with 51 percent of voters casting ballots against it. The board of trustees put the bond proposition on the ballot in order to repair existing schools as well as build new ones after a 2014 study indicated the district needed critical updates to its facilities. If it had passed, the bond would have raised taxes from $1.36 to $1.50 per $100 in home value. According to the district, this would have continued to be a lower tax rate than other nearby school districts.[3][5]
Before voters could decide to pass or reject the bond, the board of trustees hired the firm VLK Architects Inc. to manage the bond projects, set timelines and give educational and technical recommendations for the renovations. The board paid the firm a total of $60,000 by June 30, 2015, even though the bond did not pass. If it had passed, VLK Architects Inc. would have continued to manage and monitor the projects over a five-year period.[15]
District Superintendent Xavier De La Torre said setting up the contract before the bond was voted on would have helped the district get started right away if the bond had passed. Though it failed, De La Torre said the plans would still be relevant and useful for the next five to 10 years.[15]
The board approved the contract with VLK Architects Inc. on April 8, 2015, with a vote of 5-1. Member Ana M. Dueñez was the lone dissenting vote. She said she did not think it made sense to pay a firm money before the bond was voted on.[15]
The full bond proposition read:
| “ | PROPOSITION
THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $451.5 MILLION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, ACQUISITION, AND EQUIPMENT OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND THE PURCHASE OF NECESSARY SITES FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND THE LEVYING OF THE TAX IN PAYMENT THEREOF.[16] |
” |
| —Ysleta Independent School District[17] | ||
Issues in the district
Building an all-girls school
The Ysleta Independent School District planned to build an all-girls school as early as the fall of 2017. The district's current Hillcrest Middle School was to be converted to the Young Women's Leadership Academy for girls in grades six through 12. The building's transition from middle school to girls' academy was included in the bond proposition that failed to pass on May 9, 2015. Despite this, the district still planned to continue the project, according to Superintendent Xavier De La Torre.[4][5]
De La Torre called the academy a "unique opportunity," and said it would focus on STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math), similar to a magnet school. The plan was to have it follow a concept created by a New York organization called the Young Women's Leadership Network, which had helped develop other girls-only academies across the country.[4]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for Texas school board elections in May 2015:[9][10]
| Deadline | Event |
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| January 28, 2015 | First day to file paperwork for ballot placement |
| February 27, 2015 | Last day to file paperwork for ballot placement |
| March 4, 2015 | Last day to withdraw from ballot |
| April 9, 2015 | Last day for voter registration with county clerk |
| Campaign finance report due | |
| April 27, 2015- May 5, 2015 |
Early in-person voting period |
| April 30, 2015 | Last day to request mailed ballot from county clerk |
| May 1, 2015 | Campaign finance report due |
| May 9, 2015 | Election Day |
| May 20, 2015 | Final day for canvassing of votes |
| July 15, 2015 | Campaign finance report due |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Texas elections, 2015
The election on May 9, 2015, shared the ballot with other municipal elections in El Paso County. There was also a ballot proposition asking for $451.5 million for the district to repair and expand school buildings.[17]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Ysleta Independent School District Texas. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Ysleta Independent School District | Texas | School Boards |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ysleta Independent School District, "Board Members," accessed January 22, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ysleta Independent School District, "2015 Board of Trustees Candidates," accessed March 9, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ysleta Independent School District, "2015 YISD Bond," accessed April 14, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 ABC 7, "Only on ABC-7: YISD to create an all-girls academy," March 27, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 El Paso Times, "$451 M YISD bond issue fails 51-49," May 9, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 United States Census Bureau, "El Paso County, Texas," accessed February 11, 2015
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed May 5, 2014
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "El Paso County," accessed December 31, 2014
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Texas Ethics Commission, "2015 Filing Schedule for Elections Held on Uniform Election Dates," accessed January 21, 2015
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Texas Secretary of State, "May 9, 2015 Election Law Calendar," accessed January 21, 2015
- ↑ El Paso County Elections, "Voter Information," accessed April 15, 2015
- ↑ El Paso Times, "Ysleta Teachers Association announces endorsements," April 20, 2015
- ↑ Texas Ethics Commission, "Campaign Finance Guide for Candidates and Officeholders Who File with Local Filing Authorities," September 1, 2013
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Ysleta Independent School District, "Campaign Finance Reports," accessed May 11, 2015
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 El Paso Times, "YISD hires firm in advance of bond election," April 8, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 El Paso County Elections, "Sample Ballot: Ysleta Independent School District," accessed April 14, 2015
| 2015 Ysleta Independent School District Elections | |
| El Paso County, Texas | |
| Election date: | May 9, 2015 |
| Candidates: | District 2: • Incumbent, Connie Woodruff • Mary First Perales District 4: • Incumbent, Deby Lewis • Mike Rosales District 6: • Luis H. Sarellano • Sotero G. Ramirez III |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
